Built to Last: Hunter Hernandez's Remarkable Comeback

Hunter Hernandez’s journey has been one defined by determination, perseverance, and loyalty.

Although she makes it look easy on the court, it’s been a tough road for Hunter who has battled back from two ACL surgeries to become one of the best women’s basketball players in UC Irvine history.

The first injury happened the summer before her junior year of high school. It was uncharted territory for Hunter, who had never dealt with a major setback before. As a 16-year-old who had been playing basketball her whole life, she was determined to get back on the court as soon as possible following the surgery.

“I pushed through it super-fast,” Hunter recalled. “I was so locked in at that time, and I was young, so my body was recovering fast. It was a lot more of a toll physically than mentally because I was just so excited to start playing again.”

Hunter put her head down and focused on the recovery, which got her back on the court six months later for the end of her junior season at Archbishop Mitty High School. She helped the Monarchs claim the 2020 NorCal Open Division title and a spot in the CIF State Championship at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. As she and her teammates were preparing to face La Jolla Country Day, the game was abruptly canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic also altered her recruiting process. She had started receiving interest from colleges, including UC Irvine, as a freshman, but when it was time to go on official visits, everything was shut down. Her decision came down to academics, location, and the relationships she had built with the coaches recruiting her – and it was UCI that checked all the boxes.

“I didn’t go on any visits, but I had been talking to UCI since my freshman year,” Hunter said. “Even when I got injured in high school, they were one of the first ones to reach out to check on me and let me know they were still supporting me. That was a big piece (of my decision), and getting a good education was also really important. And the location is amazing.”

Hunter signed with the Anteaters in the fall of 2020 and made her way to campus with four other true freshmen the following summer. Like most incoming players, the Anteaters’ ‘Fab Five’ took some time to get used to the transition to college basketball, but all of them saw significant playing time. Hunter led the group with 4.9 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. She started to show glimpses of her scoring ability late in the season with three-straight double-figure performances in March, including a season-high 15 points against Cal State Fullerton in the Big West quarterfinals. Hunter was named to the Big West All-Freshman Team. 

With a full season under her belt, Hunter had adjusted to the pace of the game and was feeling more confident heading into her sophomore campaign. She stepped into a starting role, and things began to click for her during the Big West season where she reached double figures in scoring in 12 of her 14 appearances. Hunter was leading the team at 12.0 points per game when everything was brought to a halt once again. On Feb. 15, 2023, Hunter went down when she was driving to the basket late in the fourth quarter of an eventual 74-60 overtime victory against UC Santa Barbara at the Bren Events Center.

“When it happened, you know right away because you’ve been through it before,” Hunter said. “Even though it might feel a little different, you just know, so at that moment it was like ‘wow, that’s crazy this is going to happen again.’”

It was devastating for Hunter who was now facing an ACL surgery on her other knee, while it was also devastating for the team who saw their third starter suffer a major season-ending injury in a two-month span. Despite the physical and emotional toll, the ‘Eaters continued to play for each other on their way to a school-record 25 wins and the first Big West regular-season title in program history. Hunter played a big role in that championship and was honored with a spot on the All-Big West First Team. The award was a little bittersweet as she knew a long road to recovery was in store. Unlike her quick return in high school, this time Hunter was more aware of the bigger picture, taking into consideration both her physical and mental health.

“I was able to take my time and give myself that grace of taking longer to get back,” Hunter said. “I was more conscious of how I was doing mentally because it was definitely hard rebuilding my confidence, which I didn’t even think about the first time. I had a lot of support through the second injury, especially with Coach T (head coach Tamara Inoue) understanding where I was coming from, which helped a lot.”

Hunter ended up sitting out the entire 2023-24 season. About midway through the year, she was cleared to begin basketball activities and was a key member of the Anteaters’ scout team. Although she couldn’t contribute on the court during games, she was part of the UCI squad that won the 2024 Big West Championship and made the NCAA tournament for the first time in 29 years.

“The team experienced a lot of success, which was good to be a part of and good to see,” Hunter said. “I was a little jealous because I wanted to play in March Madness too, but I knew that it was definitely for the better to take that time off.”

Hunter took the time to work on her game and to also develop herself off the court. Ever since she was in seventh grade, basketball had been the main focus. Now, she had an opportunity to take a step back and give herself the chance to grow off the court as well.

“For me, a lot of the positives came from developing myself off the court in terms of my academics and life outside of basketball,” Hunter said. “I think finding a purpose within that and getting that dialed in let me feel like I could separate it a little more.”

It was a long process, but once Hunter did get back on the court in 2024-25, it seemed like she had never left, once again leading the team in scoring (13.1 ppg) and earning her second first-team All-Big West nod. The fact that it looked seamless was a result of the hard work she put in, as well as her doctors and physical therapists, but behind the scenes Hunter knew she had more to give.

“Going through the injury in high school and coming back after six months, it still took a long time to start to get back to playing at 100%,” Hunter said. “Then I came to college and had to adjust to that, so by the time I felt good about where I was at, I got injured again. So last year was kind of that same process of getting back into it, feeling confident, and being able to move differently.”

“It’s been slow to come together, but I think going into this season, I feel like it has finally clicked for me,” Hunter added. “Last season I had a lot of success, and it might not have looked as hard as it was, but it was definitely tough. Now I feel like I’ve kind of stepped into myself and can play with a little more freedom and not so much weighing me down.”

It was perfect timing for her to come into her own as she is now the veteran leader of a young team. UCI’s ‘Fab Five’ stayed together all four years, but with Hunter redshirting the 2023-24 season, she is the only one left from the core group that built a winning culture with four-straight seasons of 20+ victories and two Big West championships.

The on-court leadership role is one she has flourished in as a fifth-year senior. She has put up Big West Player of the Year numbers, averaging 18.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists, while shooting nearly 40% from the field and from beyond the arc. She has 11 games with 20+ points and reached 30 on three occasions, including a career-high 36 in a non-conference win at UTEP on Dec. 18. It was the fourth-highest individual scoring total in single-game school history.

“Knowing I was going to step into a bigger role was something I focused on,” Hunter said. “I developed my shooting to have that be more consistent because I knew I would need to produce every game. Building that consistency, practicing my shot, and getting into my mid-range better were things I focused a lot on in the offseason.”

It was a rarity in this age of college athletics for five players to come in together and graduate together from the same institution. It’s even more rare to see someone with Hunter’s numbers and accolades stay for a fifth year.

The thought of entering the transfer portal after she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration did cross her mind, but the worth of her education - she was accepted into UC Irvine’s MBA program – and the relationships she built over the last four years were more important to her than chasing a big paycheck. 

“Everybody considers (the transfer portal), especially after graduating,” Hunter said. “You always have the option to stay or go, but for me, I really value the relationships I’ve built here and like I said before, the life outside of basketball with school and the community, I found that to be much more fulfilling.”

Now, Hunter is nearing the end of one of the best careers in program history. Earlier this year, she became just the 11th member of UCI’s 1,000-point/500-rebound club, and she currently ranks seventh among the Anteaters’ all-time scoring leaders with 1,316 points. 

This season, Hernandez has led UC Irvine to a fifth-straight 20-win campaign, and a program-record 16-game win streak from Nov. 15-Jan. 22. The ‘Eaters, who have two weeks left in the regular season, are now chasing the school record of 25 victories, along with their ultimate goal of a second conference title and NCAA tournament appearance in three years.

“To get a Big West Championship and to play in March Madness means a lot to me,” Hunter said. “I’ve been here for a long time and helped build up this winning culture with my teammates, Coach T, and Coach Cece, so having that come full circle is important to me. And I always want to win.”

Once her decorated career at UC Irvine comes to a close, Hunter Hernandez will have more to look back on than just records and accolades. She'll remember her teammates, coaches, and the Irvine community who became family. She’ll remember the education that expanded her world beyond the sport. And she’ll remember the personal growth she achieved while recovering from two ACL injuries that could have derailed her career. In an era when players often chase bigger opportunities, her decision to stay loyal to UCI and finish what she started speaks volumes about her character. Capping this journey with a Big West Championship would be a storybook ending, but whatever happens in March, Hunter has already won.